Email Marketing Platforms: iContact vs. Drip

Trent

Finding the best email marketing tool for your e-commerce business can be a daunting task. There are just SO MANY to choose from. But if you do some research, you’ll find not all are created equal and many of them or more fit for certain businesses than others.

In this article, we’re going to break down two of the most popular email marketing tools: iContact and Drip. You must decide which one is the right move from your email marketing needs.

Do you enjoy customer service that goes above and beyond? If yes, iContact is worth checking out. It is praised for its hands-on customer service above all else. Whatever questions or concerns you may have, the support staff is likely to have an answer that makes you feel like a valued customer. They’ll do everything from solving minor day-to-day issues to an in-depth monthly call about the plan and direction of your campaign.

It’s also lauded for its ease of use, selection of designs and mailing features, and interface.

What’s different about iContact?

It’s the customer service that sets iContact apart. That is easily the most often aspect cited by users as to why they love iContact. There just aren’t many other competing options that are offering the same attention to detail in customer support.

They give you the option of two core plans — essential and professional — which differ greatly in price. The essential package starts at $14 per month and professional package at $99 per month. You can also pay monthly or yearly with 15 percent off for a 12-month prepay.

Here are the features the professional package gets you in addition to everything provided in the essential plan:

Workflows

Triggered messages

Landing pages

Engagement tracking

Behavioral targeting

Social monitoring

Funnel reports

Custom objects

Zapier integration

Multiple folders

Some of the customer service features, such as once a month strategy calls, are only included at a higher cost through iContact’s premier service. This includes a bronze, silver, gold, and platinum plan. You do get some level of customer support even with the most basic subscription.

Drip is a fairly new, up-and-coming email marketing service. It’s most appealing to e-commerce businesses with experienced marketers that are looking to take their email campaigns to another level. While it’s easy to use, it may not be the best service for beginners because it’s vast array of features can make set up a little confusing.

Drip is also great for those who value a close integration with Facebook. It isn’t just Facebook, though. There’s also the ability to integrate with nearly 100 other tools you may be using. So if you need integration, Drip can likely get it done for you.

What’s different about Drip?

Drip stands out because of its automation ability. While it’s not unique in that it has automation, the tools it uses will provide you with a more in-depth and intelligent approach to reach your different target audiences.

The customer support in place also provides advantages over some alternatives. Drip has live chat support, various training, webinars, free guides, and more.